Because of the advice re the Coronavirus the meeting on 1st April has been cancelled. I will arrange another one as soon as I can.

Peter






Web Page No 2668

13^th March 2020

1st Picture.  Ted Moult

 2nd Picture. Still from The Archers

 3rd Picture. Ted Moults Life Story

 4th Picture. Ted Moult’s grave.

‘Farmer Ted Moult’

For younger readers or those who do not remember him, I should explain that Ted Moult looked like what he was – a working farmer. He had a wife, Marie, and a large family on his farm, Scaddows Farm, near Ticknall in Derbyshire. But Ted was more than a farmer. He had an amazing brain and was one of the best-informed people made the more remarkable by his photographic memory. He never forgot anything.

It was this, together with his rural humour and charm, that earned him invitations to appear on BBC TV quiz programmes where his comprehensive knowledge confirmed him as a regular for many years. He occasionally appeared on farming programmes and later became even more famous on ITV for double glazing commercials.

At a Royal Show at Stoneleigh. He was on good form, cracking jokes and enjoying the show. We then had several weeks of wet weather and it was a worry to arable farmers trying to gather harvest. But it got to Ted, who persuaded himself he was never going to get his grain into the barn and one morning he locked himself in his office and took his life. After a private funeral, his life was celebrated at a public ceremony in Derby Cathedral. He is buried in St. George’s churchyard, Ticknall . He was survived by his wife Marie Rose (Maria) (1933–2014), and children.

He was born in Derby and left Derby School at 17 in 1944 but, by 22, had his first dairy farm in Sinfin, on the outskirts of the city. He has been credited with the concept of "pick-your-own" strawberries at his farm; he began in 1961, and always made a point of greeting his customers.

He first came to public attention in the 1950s on BBC Radio's general knowledge quiz Brain of Britain, although he was knocked out in the first round. He consolidated his fame with appearances on discussion programmes such as Any Questions? and panel games such as Ask Me Another, and was a household name by the mid-1960s.  He played the part of Bill Insley in  The Archers from 1983 to 1986.

In December 1959, he was the week's castaway on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in February 1964 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.

He was perhaps best known latterly for his series of adverts for Everest Double Glazing in the 1980s, featuring the selling line: "You only fit double glazing once, so fit the best: Everest". He appeared in the opening edition of Channel 4's first show Countdown and had a number of small cameo roles in films and television, playing the love interest of the housekeeper Mrs Hall in a 1980 episode of the TV series All Creatures Great and Small.

In 1983, Ted Moult appeared on the third series of Bullseye as a celebrity guest throwing darts for charity. He threw 9 darts scoring a total of 180 and therefore winning £180 for the contestants' chosen charity.

In 1976 he appeared on the advert for Jacob's Cream Crackers .

The manner of his death was a dreadful shock to all who knew him, especially his family. Unfortunately, suicide is not uncommon in the farming world even today.

Stay in touch

Peter

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On this day 13^th March 1960-1965

On 13/03/1360 the number one single was Running Bear - Johnny Preston and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was The Larkins (ATV) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 13/03/1361 the number one single was Walk Right Back/Ebony Eyes - Everly Brothers and the number one album was GI Blues - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was No Hiding Place (AR) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 13/03/1362 the number one single was Rock-a-Hula Baby/Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the week was Skull found buried in Downing Street.

On 13/03/1363 the number one single was Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & the Shadows and the number one album was Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & the Shadows. The top rated TV show was Conservative Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champion.

On 13/03/1364 the number one single was Little Children - Billy J Kramer and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Conservative Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 13/03/1365 the number one single was The Last Time - Rolling Stones and the number one album was Rolling Stones Number 2 - The Rolling Stones. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.